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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26632654">Desperate Times</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicxan/pseuds/Nicxan'>Nicxan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>System Shock (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Military, Poverty</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:47:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>547</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26632654</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicxan/pseuds/Nicxan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>... call for desperate measures.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Banned Together Bingo 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Desperate Times</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Another for <a href="https://bannedtogetherbingo2020.tumblr.com/">Banned Together Bingo</a>!<br/>This prompt was 'Exaggerates Poverty'. </p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Initially, Roberto didn’t want to sign up for the military. He didn’t have the fortitude for it, nor did he want to have it. As far as he was concerned, it was all just hogwash and predatory. It wasn’t something he wanted to be involved in.<br/><br/>They were strong words and strong beliefs. He had been raised in a family that detested the UNN, and the mindset had carried on into his adult life. He would never join the UNN, he told himself. He’d rather be dead before that, he always added. His friends had always nodded agreement, mumbling among themselves. <br/><br/>Even the strongest beliefs, however, could waver in times of need. <br/><br/>Roberto cursed to himself every time he opened the empty food cabinets. The student loans -- an industry giant since forever, really -- drained him utterly dry every month. He barely had enough for rent. It didn’t help that the prices had steadily creeped up every month. Newest New York was notorious for things like this, but he couldn’t afford to move away. <br/><br/>The mail offers were getting more and more enticing, but Roberto still crumpled them up and threw them away. He wouldn’t compromise his moral beliefs. He couldn’t, even when his stomach ached with hunger. His parents would’ve disowned him. <br/><br/>The months passed, and the mail offers kept coming. Maybe it was because of his good grades at college? Maybe it was just because he was another meat shield that they could use on the frontlines. Either way, the papers were starting to stack on his table before Roberto threw them away en-masse. He tried to call to get taken off of the mailing list, but went ignored. <br/><br/>It figured. They never did listen to the people on bigger things, so why listen on the smaller things? Roberto laughed sardonically to himself when he thought about it. <br/><br/>He wasn’t sure when it became too much -- one too many hungry nights, one too many eviction notices ... it all added up to the point where what they offered wasn’t sounding so bad now. Maybe he could avoid being on the frontlines; it would still guarantee three meals a day and a place to sleep. <br/><br/>Why was he thinking this? Why was he even entertaining the idea of it? Roberto chastised himself, but it didn’t help much at all. They preyed on desperation and he was seeing the effects of it now. <em> ‘I hate them.’ </em> <br/><br/>Finally, one night, Roberto had enough. When he collapsed from hunger pains and felt weak for the next week after, he knew he had no choice <em> but </em> to sign up. It was a ticket out of Newest New York and actually having the energy to do what needed to be done. It would put college on hold, but they’d pay for that, too, apparently. <br/><br/>He briefly wondered why they never fixed this archaic system from the early 21st century, but when he realized that it was profitable for them, he didn’t wonder anymore. <br/><br/>Roberto seethed with anger as he picked up the phone and dialed the number on the latest advertisement that had been dropped in his mailbox. <br/><br/>He’d do his time and then get out. Then, he’d warn others of the nature of the UNN -- and everything would be well. <br/><br/>He hoped.</p>
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